County comparison · Ireland

Galway vs Wicklow

Median annual earnings · Source: CSO 2024

6% gap

Wicklow pays 6% more than Galway · €46,527 vs €43,995

Wicklow has the higher median salary at €46,527 per year, against €43,995 in Galway — a gap of 6%. Looking at the longer trend, Galway has grown faster, at +2.4% per year on average — so Galway is closing the gap over time even though Wicklow still pays more today. Information and Communication is the sector where the two counties diverge most, with a difference of €18,598.

Growth Comparison

+2.4%

Galway annual growth (CAGR) since 2011

+2.4%

Wicklow annual growth (CAGR) since 2011

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Galway

€31,816€34,861€37,906€40,950€43,995201120142017202020232024

Wicklow

€33,766€36,956€40,147€43,337€46,527201120142017202020232024

Galway Gender Pay Gap

12%

Wicklow Gender Pay Gap

20%

Sector-by-Sector Comparison

Sector Galway Wicklow Diff
Information and Communication €70,556 €89,154 €-18,598
Public Administration and Defence; Compulsory Social Security €54,987 €59,902 €-4,915
Financial, Insurance and Real Estate Activities €47,978 €65,374 €-17,396
Education €59,410 €52,166 +€7,244
Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities €47,835 €53,625 €-5,790
Industry (B to E) €45,154 €51,544 €-6,390
Human Health and Social Work Activities €45,493 €44,246 +€1,247
Construction €43,962 €44,718 €-756
Transportation and Storage €39,555 €48,185 €-8,630
Administrative and Support Service Activities €35,389 €40,196 €-4,807
Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and Motorcycles €33,557 €34,841 €-1,284
Arts, Entertainment, Recreation and Other Service Activities €26,795 €30,344 €-3,549
Accommodation and Food Service Activities €27,265 €26,110 +€1,155

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County comparison pages are most useful when they feed the next question: which sector explains the gap, and what does each county look like on its own?

Frequently Asked Questions

Which has higher salaries: Galway or Wicklow?
Wicklow has higher salaries, with a median of €46,527 compared to €43,995 in Galway — 6% higher.
What is the gender pay gap in Galway vs Wicklow?
The gender pay gap is 12% in Galway and 20% in Wicklow.
Which county's salaries are growing faster: Galway or Wicklow?
Galway salaries are growing faster, at a compound annual rate of +2.4%, compared to +2.4% for Wicklow.
Which sector explains the biggest gap between Galway and Wicklow?
Information and Communication shows the widest gap: €70,556 in Galway versus €89,154 in Wicklow.